Almond-separating apparatus



Feb. 6

A. R. STEPHEN. AL'MOND SEPARATING APPARATUS.

FILED DEC. 13, I921.

INVENTOR. Archibald R awphem/ BY Q S E i ATTORNEY tl ll hi a l SAECHIBALD E. STEPLEN, 0'5 LODI, CALIFQRNIA.

ALE'IOND-SEPAR-ATING APPARATUS.

Application filed December 13, 1921. Serial No. 522,124.

almond separating devices, and is particularly intended as animprovement over that type of apparatus shown in my. copendingapplication, Serial. No. 406,904, filed August hp operating means.

30th, 1920; the subject matter of the present invention having to doespecially with the method of and means for separating the hulledalmonds from the hulls, leaves, fiutt etc. mixed therewith as they fallfrom the huller, and prior to the depositing of the nuts themselves onthe separating screens.

In carrying out the separation or the almonds from the foreign matter, Iemploy an air blast, and one of the main objects o1 the invention is toprovide means whereby the direction and force of the blast may be variedat will, and while the machine is in operation. v

Another object is to provide a vibratory plate or apron, interposedbetween the discharge of the hull-er and the separating screens, uponwhich the nuts tall, and where they are subjected to the cleaningeffects of: the air blast. l also provide for changing the angle o:slope of the apron, which may be done will wlile the machine isoperating.

A third object is to provide double dis charge for the foreign matterthrown Off or segregated from the nuts by the air blastone dischargetaking the light fluff, leaves etc. and leading to the open air, and theother discharge including a settling chamber to receive the heaviermaterial, which is then free from dust, fiufi, etc., and may be car riedaway on a conveyor within the shed in which the apparatus is located,without inconvenience to the workers.

A further object of the invention is to proluce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly cii'ective tor the purposesfor which it isdesigned.

'lhese objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

in the d "awings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my im proved separating apparatus,showing the corresponding locations ol' the huller and separator.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary swtional plan, showing the movable blast-lip andvibratoryi plate.

Fig. 3 is a detached View of the blast- Fig. l is an end view of a leverand clip member.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the numeral 1 denotes the huller, preferably of that typeshown in my United States Patent No. 1,359,766, dated November 28rd,1920.

Positioned under the discharge chute 1" of the huller to receive at oneend the almonds dropping therefrom is the almond separator 2, preierablyof the type shown in the aforementioned copending application,

I and which includes horizontal shaker screening means 3 mounted onelastic standards t and arranged to have longitudinal and verticalvibratory or agitating movement impartial thereto.

Positioned between the huller and the separator is a blower 5 having anozzle h tending the full width of the huller and separat screens,facing toward the adl of the screens, lying in a subhorizontal plane,and interposed lfietween the huller discharge and the uppermost or thescreens 3.

The lower side of the nozzle 6 is formed for certain distance as ahinged and vertically movable lip 7. whose vertical position isdetermined and controlled by a hand actuated toggle-joint mechanism 8,posi tioned on the outside of the huller member 9 of the lever mechanismbeing adapted to be wedged into frictional engagement with a forked clip10 when any desired setting or the lip has been attained.

the nozzle 6, and at an upward slope with respect thereto is an apron11, arranged so that the direct blast from the nozzle will strike theapron at an angle thereto. This apron is hinged transversely andintermediate its ends to a frame member 3 of the ment of the screens,the aprons will be moved vibratory screen structure of the separator, sothat with the agitating or shaker movelikewise.

The angle or slope of this apron may be I altered at will by suitablemeans, as for through the common exit 1 instance by a rod 12 flexiblyconnected to the lower end of the apron, which projects through abracket 13 fixed on the frame 3.

A spring 14: surrounds the rod and extends between the bracket andapron, while the end of the rod beyond the bracket is threaded and has ahand or finger nut 15 thereon, bearing against said bracket.

Thespring constantly tends to expand, so thatby loosening the nut, theapron is automatically moved to lie at a lesser slope, while ontightening the nut, the slope is increased.

The upper end of the apron projects into an enclosure 16, at theopposite upper end of which is a discharge flue 17, leading to theatmosphere.

Below the apron the" enclosure forms a settling chamber 18, providedadjacent its lower end with a slidable gate member 19.

The operation is as follows:

The nuts, after passing throughthe huller, pass therefrom; nuts, hulls,leaves, fluff and various other foreign matter discharging The blower isof course operating, and the blast therefrom at once acts on the lighttwigs, leaves, fluff, etc., and throws the same past the deflectingapron into the discharge flue 17 which as stated, leads to theatmosphere. A certain percentage of foreign matter however is inclinedto adhere to the hulled nuts. These fall onto the apron, being too heavyto be swept away by the blast.

Owing to the continuous vibratory movement of this apron, the nuts arebounced up. and down for a considerable distance and time beforedropping onto the screens,

tending to dislodge any foreign matter clinging thereto, and. giving theblast a chance to act on the nuts for a considerable period. of time,and so cleaning every particle of. foreign matter therefrom.

A. very high. efliciency in cleaning operations is' therefore attained.v

By reason of the angleof the apron with respect to the direction of theblast being alter-able at will, the apparatus may be regulated as may berequired to suit different conditions with regard to the lightness orheaviness of the materials being separated.

All the foreign matter with the nuts, after being separated therefrom,passes beyond the apron. The lightest of this passes through the outlet17, while the hulls etc., being heavier and the force of the blastbeyond the apron being diminished, drop into the settling chamber 18,where the force or effect of the blast is almost nil, and from whichthey may be withdrawn at the bot tom through the gate 19 and carriedaway by any suitable means, without any inconvenience or discomfortbeing had by the attendants or operators due to any fluff, etc., risingtherefrom.

The adjustability of the nozzle hp 7 further aids in the eflicientoperation of the apparatus, since not only may the intensity of theblast be altered, but the angle at which the blast is directed, relativeto the apron, is also alterable, and by suitably adjusting both the lipand apron to meet various conditions of operation, a great efficiency inseparation is attained.

From the foregoing description it will be readilyseen that I; haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

WVhile this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form. a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nutsto be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receivethe discharge fromthe chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate thechute and the screens an apron disposed at an angle to the direction ofthe blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle andthe separator screen and means for imparting a vertical and horizontalvibratory movement to said apron.

2. A.1l almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive thenuts to be separated and a separator s'creen'structurepositionedintermediate the chute andthe screens and an apron disposed atan angle to the direction of the'blast'under the chute andinterposedbetween the blast nozzle and the separator screen, and fixedto the latter, said screen structure being arranged for vertical andhorizontal vibratory niove ment.

3, An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nutsto be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receivethe discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate thechute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction ofthe blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle andthe separator screen, and an enclosure provided with an outlet fluebeyond the apron into which the latter projects.

4. An almond separating apparatus including a chute to receive the nutsto be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receivethe discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate thechute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction ofthe blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle andthe separator screen, an enclosure into which the upper end of the apronprojects, an outlet flue from the enclosure opposite said apron, and asettling chamber formed with the enclosure and extending below theapron.

5. An almond separating apparatus in cluding a chute to receive the nutsto be separated and a separator screen structure positioned to receivethe discharge from the chute, a blast nozzle positioned intermediate thechute and the screens, an apron disposed at an angle to the direction ofthe blast under the chute and interposed between the blast nozzle andthe separator screen, an enclosure into which the upper end of the apronprojects, anoutlet fine from the enclosure opposite said apron, asettling chamber formed with the enclosure and extending below theapron, and a movable gate member at the lower end of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I 'afiix my signaturev ARCHIBALD R. STEPHEN.

